Nepalis who live in Hong Hong as part of the Hong Kong society have been benefiting from Beijing's policy toward the special administrative region of China, former Nepali Consul General in Hong Kong Mahesh Dahal said.
Mahesh Dahal, now a government's secretary, said China has successfully implemented the principle of "one country, two systems" in the Hong Kong Special administrative Region (SAR) over the past 20 years, delivering benefits to the Hong Kong people immensely.
It is estimated that there are over 20,000 Nepalis living in Hong Kong. Those who choose to stay want to take root there, especially if their children were born there. They have Hong Kong identity cards, but their nationality is still Nepali.
Nepalis first entered Hong Kong as part of the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas. When Hong Kong returned to China in 1997, the brigade was disbanded and Gurkhas and their children were allowed to stay there.
Since then, Nepalis there have turned to other jobs available, particularly in the fields of hotel, restaurant, security guard and construction, and found immense economic opportunities there.
Muna Gurung, who has got Hong Kong residence identity card, had no difficulty to find a job in Hong Kong when she got there three years ago after marriage with a man already living there.
"It is easier to get jobs in Hong Kong. Many Nepalis are working in hospitality and construction sectors," Gurung told Xinhua, adding that despite being a minority community in the region, the Nepalese are living a respectful life there.
Gurung, who is currently in Nepal, has all her family members residing in Hong Kong. They are employed in different sectors in Hong Kong.
Although many Nepalis are in elementary jobs there, there is also a growing number of Nepalis starting their own businesses in Hong Kong.
"Over the last 20 years, Nepalis are seen establishing companies related to labor supply for construction, hotels and restaurants, groceries and export-import businesses," said Purna Basnet, a Nepali journalist who stayed in Hong Kong almost a decade.
As doing business is easier in Hong Kong, Shiva Lamichhane, a Nepali bullion trader, has expanded his business there. His wife with Hong Kong identity card handles the business there. "I took the opportunity for business expansion there," Lamichhane told Xinhua.
Basnet observed that China has been applying "one country, two systems" successfully, which could be envious to many.
